The wind: road trip in the mountains and woodpiles at home

post #209
      Tuesday I returned home after driving up, down and around in the Appalachian mountains to visit five friends in four states over six days. I love such a drive -- exploring corners of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina, each beautiful in their late summer greenery.  The roads were mostly great, the weather was totally great, and seeing those friends was amazing and great.
       I didn't take photos everywhere, but, as always, sometimes I can't stop myself. I wish I could have taken more.  I drove a whole stunning section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, going from Celo, NC to Blowing Rock, and made nary a photo.  How was that possible?!
       These first images are from Blowing Rock, NC, near Boone, where George Ella is currently the writer in residence at Appalachian State Univ..  This is "her" bungalow, for two months!

writer in her residence

     And this is the back yard seen from the back deck:

The mountains are hiding - due to the frequent fogs passing through, all year long.

     Even the road signs to her place were imaginative, though I since learned that Goforth is a local family name.  I listened to a storyteller two days ago whose name is Josh Goforth. He hails from Madison County, NC, near where Blowing Rock is located. (The annual Cave Run Storytelling Festival was this weekend, in nearby Morehead, KY.  Wonderful fun.)

George Ella and I went for a few walks in Blowing Rock, first around Bass Lake:

      We could only locate one other swan!  This one was busy dipping and sipping.

        The next day we decided we had time to go check out the actual blowing rock, which has an entire legend that goes with it.  For the extremely curious, here is the link that tells the story. The place itself is like a small park (including an admission charge) with a stunning vista. The wind on the viewing platform is constant, and fascinating.  
        And thrilling!       
        We gave in to going inside only after watching a rain shower move ever closer to where we were mesmerized by the wind and the view.  After all, I really needed to keep my new camera dry.  

        This first photo was taken by George Ella with her cell phone.  As she wrote me later,  "Here's that photo from the day/ we did not get blown away!" 

       Now some of my efforts:

I took this one from the walkway, with my iPhone.  See the rain coming towards us????

     While I was away from home, that tree from last week's post was entirely felled and cut into firewood size pieces and stacked up to dry.  Thanks, Frank!  Thanks, winds!